Spring scents, turning the page...

Spring has always been one of the most beautiful times of year - representing renewal, rebirth, new buds bursting into first blooms, and warm weather returning (at least here in Northern California). It is time for us who enjoy olfactory beauty to sometimes just step outside and smell the air around us - natural abundance of aromas fill the air. A short walk led me to fresh lavender in bloom, fragrant rosemary and roses of many types and shades of color.

We "turn the page" mentally and long for scents that evoke the radiance of Spring...add to the freshness. I look at my recent wearings and realize that I truly do wear virtually anything at anytime - however, I have been looking at specific scents that have been 'perfect' and realize it is the realm of Aromatic Citruses, Chypres and Fougeres that have grabbed my attention. On my mind are vetivers and Woody Floral Musks that show both great aromatics and depth - to be enjoyed soon!

Recent wearings include Vintage Monsieur de Givenchy, Caron Pour Un Homme, Le Troisieme Homme by Caron, Vintage YSL Pour Homme, YSL Pour Homme Haute Concentration, Vintage Paco Rabanne Pour Homme, Vintage Kouros, Vintage Versace L'Homme, Capucci Pour Homme and while I type this, I am in a full wearing of Gucci Pour Homme Original (1976) - one of the greatest classic chypres I have ever adorned. Also, I find myself splashing a light amount of Agua Lavanda on my neck, arms or chest during wearings of various scents to refresh just that wonderful fresh lavender note (as so many of these scents have brilliant lavender) - which fades out within 45 minutes or so...but it is pure enjoyment while the fragrant aromatherapy wafts up and blends into a scent's composition.

What does Spring mean to you when it comes to association with scent, notes you enjoy with the changing climate where you live...and various bottles you enjoy for pure pleasure?

Cheers and a Happy Spring to all my fellow Basenoters!

ericrico

Last edited by ericrico; 2nd May 2013 at 02:51 AM.

“Some perfumes are as fragrant as an infant’s flesh, sweet as an oboe’s cry, and greener than the spring; While others are triumphant, decadent or rich; Having the expansion of infinite things, like ambergris and musk, benzoin and frankincense, which sing the transports of the mind and every sense.”

Re: Spring scents, turning the page...

I find myself wearing Encre Noir, Sycomore, Wonderwood, 2 Man, 34 Boulevard Saint Germain and Body Kouros. Today though, I wore CDG Black, mostly because I just received it. I don't really have any restrictions any time of the year but there are definitely those that I favor by mood, which the weather can effect tremendously..especially here, in Chicago.

Re: Spring scents, turning the page...

Oh, I get it...rub it in the noses of us who are soon entering winter. Well the hell with you, sir.

*pouts*

But for spring I really like lighter scents but still have some woodiness and/or some pungent herbs to them.
Coriolan is probably what springs (ha) to mind first.
Eau Sauvage, Je Suis un Homme, Lalique PH and Jazz also warrant a mention from my collection.

Re: Spring scents, turning the page...

Hello timdoeswell -

No rubbing any noses - I understand that a lot of my fellow friends on Basenotes are in other parts of the world so I mentioned "notes you enjoy with the changing climate where you live". I have other friends in the Southern Hemisphere - including there in Australia - so I hope winter isn't too severe for you.

Nice taste for spring scents. Coriolan is one that is not often seen...interesting.

Cheers,

ericrico

Originally Posted by timdoeswell

Oh, I get it...rub it in the noses of us who are soon entering winter. Well the hell with you, sir.

*pouts*

But for spring I really like lighter scents but still have some woodiness and/or some pungent herbs to them.
Coriolan is probably what springs (ha) to mind first.
Eau Sauvage, Je Suis un Homme, Lalique PH and Jazz also warrant a mention from my collection.

“Some perfumes are as fragrant as an infant’s flesh, sweet as an oboe’s cry, and greener than the spring; While others are triumphant, decadent or rich; Having the expansion of infinite things, like ambergris and musk, benzoin and frankincense, which sing the transports of the mind and every sense.”

Re: Spring scents, turning the page...

The lightness of heart and new starts has me reaching for fresh, clean and uplifting scents.

I wore L'Ombre dans l'Eau for the first time in ages. It really seems to be summing up spring for me at the moment. Green with some florals in the air. Jasmine near my home has just started blooming, which always seems to be a sign to my brain that summer is starting.

Re: Spring scents, turning the page...

Originally Posted by ericrico

Hello timdoeswell -

No rubbing any noses - I understand that a lot of my fellow friends on Basenotes are in other parts of the world so I mentioned "notes you enjoy with the changing climate where you live". I have other friends in the Southern Hemisphere - including there in Australia - so I hope winter isn't too severe for you.

Nice taste for spring scents. Coriolan is one that is not often seen...interesting.

Cheers,

ericrico

Oh don't worry, I was just being silly.
The weather here is pretty awful already (it's going to get down to -2 tomorrow) and we're not even in winter yet.
Hence why I'm nicking off over your way for the month of August to enjoy some sunshine.

I blind-bought Coriolan from a member here last year and it really is a great scent.
Still can be found cheap-as-chips, and although the bottle looks like that of a womens frag, it is an easy-wearing masculine fragrance that is good for the office.

Re: Spring scents, turning the page...

for me spring = florals; however with my new found addiction to Slumberhouse & the uncertain weather we've had in Toronto, Canada (anywhere from -2 to +19), i am yet to wear any such fragrance - maybe i'll start from tomorrow, if I do, it'll be either with Amouage Gold man or Nejma Aoud 3...

Re: Spring scents, turning the page...

I have to say, this is a scent that has me very intrigued. The note of narcissus is absolutely wonderful (for my wife, Montaigne by Caron is stunning!, but clearly feminine) - however, after hearing about this scent I thought it could definitely be Unisex. I love the moss, wood and resinous notes as described in some excellent reviews. I am going after a sample now - thank you, both...!

Cheers,

ericrico

Originally Posted by Kagey

That was going to be my answer! I dug this out yesterday - the first really warm day - and it was marvellous.

“Some perfumes are as fragrant as an infant’s flesh, sweet as an oboe’s cry, and greener than the spring; While others are triumphant, decadent or rich; Having the expansion of infinite things, like ambergris and musk, benzoin and frankincense, which sing the transports of the mind and every sense.”

Re: Spring scents, turning the page...

Beautifully written thread ericrico, I also smelled spring in the air this week! Florals and citrus are what I crave at this time of year. I have a large decant of Eau du Sud that I will enjoy through the summer!

Originally Posted by Darjeeling

The lightness of heart and new starts has me reaching for fresh, clean and uplifting scents.

I wore L'Ombre dans l'Eau for the first time in ages. It really seems to be summing up spring for me at the moment. Green with some florals in the air. Jasmine near my home has just started blooming, which always seems to be a sign to my brain that summer is starting.

+1 L'hombre dans L'eau! Smells like flowers blooming and grass growing..It's the epitome of spring to me, but unfortunately I don't own it!

Re: Spring scents, turning the page...

Thank you, JiveHippo -

Much appreciated, warm response! Eau du Sud is truly sublime...enjoy it with the sunshine and beautiful weather ahead.

I definitely will, myself! And, yes...Darjeeling's post was fantastic and has me thinking about both L'ombre dans L'eau by the house of Diptyque, as well as the fresh blooming jasmine that covers the fences surrounding my in-law's home in the San Francisco Bay Area. We hope to visit soon...

Cheers,

ericrico

Originally Posted by JiveHippo

Beautifully written thread ericrico, I also smelled spring in the air this week! Florals and citrus are what I crave at this time of year. I have a large decant of Eau du Sud that I will enjoy through the summer!

+1 L'hombre dans L'eau! Smells like flowers blooming and grass growing..It's the epitome of spring to me, but unfortunately I don't own it!

“Some perfumes are as fragrant as an infant’s flesh, sweet as an oboe’s cry, and greener than the spring; While others are triumphant, decadent or rich; Having the expansion of infinite things, like ambergris and musk, benzoin and frankincense, which sing the transports of the mind and every sense.”

Re: Spring scents, turning the page...

Hello everyone!

Nice thread, Ericrico!
Well as frag addicts we all know that inescapable dilemma choosing a scent can sometimes be, right? In addition, here in the North of France where I live, Spring is kind of procrastinating, if you see what I mean: the weather is cool one day, rainy and humid the next, whereas the sunlights was blessing us three days before! Go figure! So the pages are turning... fast!
So I’m inclined to wear something versatile enough, let’s say, to foil the vagaries of weather
As I’ve already mentioned here on BN, I’m a huge fan of Eau Universelle (L’Occitane). Besides, I often reach for L’Eau de l’Artisan, and recently found myself diving in Vetiveria Herbacea (Berdoues) again. However, I wore last week a maybe more polirizing scent, De Bashmakov: which was, as together with the lush vegetation, my green reply to the rain and an overwhelming greyness.
Your post make me think of a wonderfull spring/summer scent, from a young french house, I used to wear about two years back: Pamplemousse & Basilic (by L’Essence des Notes – not in the BNs directory, now I think of it - http://www.lessencedesnotes.com/basilic.html ) It’s green, grassy, flowery, quite an “Ellenesque” approach (Ellena) fragrance. It’s high time I got it out of its box!!!

Re: Spring scents, turning the page...

Bonjour Letitbenose -

Thank you for the very nice addition to the thread...merci! Yes, in some places of Europe, I have friends going through the same late arrival of Spring (but glimpses of sunshine & hope peak through the clouds). We last got rain a while back...just a distant memory now...and it has been very sunny and warm here 30-32 Celcius (around 90 degrees F) with some breezy, even windy days. Actually, I miss a nice rain shower to cleanse everything in the Springtime. However, it is hard to complain and cannot believe how much cooler it is across Northern Europe right now even. Last few years here have been much more similar to your Spring with rains and cooler temperatures lasting until early June even!

I looked up Pamplemousse & Basilic from your link - thank you. It looks delightful...beautiful notes - the essence of Spring poured into a bottle! I will hunt for a sample as well.

Cheers,

ericrico

Originally Posted by Letitbenose

Hello everyone!

Nice thread, Ericrico!
Well as frag addicts we all know that inescapable dilemma choosing a scent can sometimes be, right? In addition, here in the North of France where I live, Spring is kind of procrastinating, if you see what I mean: the weather is cool one day, rainy and humid the next, whereas the sunlights was blessing us three days before! Go figure! So the pages are turning... fast!
So I’m inclined to wear something versatile enough, let’s say, to foil the vagaries of weather
As I’ve already mentioned here on BN, I’m a huge fan of Eau Universelle (L’Occitane). Besides, I often reach for L’Eau de l’Artisan, and recently found myself diving in Vetiveria Herbacea (Berdoues) again. However, I weared last week a maybe more polirizing scent, De Bashmakov: which was, as together with the lush vegetation, my green reply to the rain and an overwhelming greyness.
Your post make me think of a wonderfull spring/summer scent, from a young french house, I used to wear about two years back: Pamplemousse & Basilic (by L’Essence des Notes – not in the BNs directory, now I think of it - http://www.lessencedesnotes.com/basilic.html ) It’s green, grassy, flowery, quite an “Ellenesque” approach (Ellena) fragrance. It’s high time I got it out of its box!!!

Cheers!

“Some perfumes are as fragrant as an infant’s flesh, sweet as an oboe’s cry, and greener than the spring; While others are triumphant, decadent or rich; Having the expansion of infinite things, like ambergris and musk, benzoin and frankincense, which sing the transports of the mind and every sense.”

Re: Spring scents, turning the page...

Spring for me has also been about vetiver, light woods, and crisp florals. In heavier rotation right now are some that you guys have already mentioned, including Coriolan (which I agree is a bit unheralded, and perfect for this time of year), Vetiver Extraordinaire, Comme des Garçons 2 Man (which I've finally come around to), Timbuktu, Eau Sauvage, Insensé, and Guerlain Vetiver. I have a bottle of CdG Vettiveru on the way which I'm much looking forward to.

If anyone has further recommendations along these lines, I'd be happy to hear them.

Re: Spring scents, turning the page...

I looked up Pamplemousse & Basilic from your link - thank you. It looks delightful...beautiful notes - the essence of Spring poured into a bottle! I will hunt for a sample as well.

Cheers,

ericrico

I have tried the whole Essence des Notes line and Pamplemousse & Basilic is by far my favorite! You really should check that one, Ericrico. And I strongly suggest other BNers to do so, if they have the opportunity A bientôt!

Re: Spring scents, turning the page...

So far I have worn (and notably enjoyed)
1) APOM: Just incredible. Might actually be my favourite fragrance of the moment.
2) Carnal Flower. Always makes me feel positive.
3) Tom Ford Extreme. Worked very well on a cooler spring day.
4) Eau Sauvage Parfum. Wore this on another cool day and it worked well whilst projecting a professional, formal aura.

Wore the original Tom Ford today and as always, found it unremarkable. I have a 100ml bottle and I am determined to enjoy it at some point, but it always leaves me cold.

Re: Spring scents, turning the page...

There are so many spring appropriate scents available but the first that came to mind was L'eau de L'Artisan. It's unassuming and green - soft and natural smelling, herbal, with a somewhat traditional cologne vibe. Another great fragrance that seems perfect to wear in the fresh spring air is Angeliques sous la Pluie by Frederic Malle with its light angelica note which reminds me ever so distantly of a soft gin accord. Neither are particularly powerful fragrances but I've surprisingly received compliments on them hours after I thought they were gone.

Re: Spring scents, turning the page...

During spring, most of my scents worn only become marginally lighter, but most of the time, I simply wear most of my fragrance wardrobe anyway. Not many more or more frequently worn more casual, more aquatic, more summery, more sporty etc. scents, than regularly all through the year.

Re: Spring scents, turning the page...

Acqua di Parma Colonia. This unisex fragrance has become a major staple for me this spring. It's citrus, lavender, and rose notes are all qualifying scents when I think of spring, also with light hints of sandalwood and patchouli. Loved it.

Re: Spring scents, turning the page...

Spring in Florida is a Canadian summer, but it’s the season of gardenias, frangipani, and spring orchids. Sometimes I’ll pinch a gardenia, and pop in in my pocket. That’s my scent for the day. To celebrate the season, I’ll wear Bellodgia or the citrus and damp earth of Eau Sauvage, and start spritzing every white shirt til September with Diorissimo.